The state’s political temperature has risen by a few notches after Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday said that the BJP will win the forthcoming general election in Odisha without a Chief Ministerial face as the party did in Maharashtra and Haryana.
This statement of the Union Minister has triggered a political slugfest in the state.
Reacting to what the Union Minister said while replying to a question during a literary festival in Bhubaneswar on Saturday, the BJD on Sunday said there is none in the BJP to take on Naveen Patnaik.
“They (the BJP) have Baijayant Panda, Aparajita Sarangi, Jual Oram, Dharmendra Pradhan and Jaynarayan Mishra. But none can stand anywhere near Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik,” said BJD MLA Bhagirathi Sethi, adding that there is no question of any one from the BJP becoming the CM as they won’t even win the elections.
In his response, BJP stalwart and Leader of Opposition (LoP) Jaynarayan Mishra said, “We do not fear at all. We have a galaxy of leaders and all are more talented and capable than Naveen Patnaik. We will definitely do well in the elections.”
On the other hand, Congress leader Taraprasad Bahinipati said, “We have Niranjan Patnaik, Sarat Pattanayak and Bijay Patnaik to become the next CM of Odisha. We will announce the name of our CM face only when our party wins.”
Meanwhile, political analysts are of the opinion that the saffron party could poll more votes if it announces its CM face.
“They (the BJP) think Modi’s name would help them sail through the elections. But it would hardly help them in the Assembly elections in Odisha. If they announce the name of their CM candidate, it would help them garner more votes,” said senior journalist, Prasanna Mohanty.